The Steelers may be in the hunt for a new offensive and defensive coordinator, and any of these Black Monday coaching releases would make sense.
Black Monday is always an eventful time in the NFL. Some coaches are retained while others are let go due to their records. Usually, though, a bad coordinator can make a good positional coach or coordinator. The Steelers could be in the market for either coordinator, although the focus will likely be on the defense.
Here are four Black Monday firings that the Steelers should target.
The Steelers should add Zimmer
One of the most established and well-respected coaches in the league, Mike Zimmer was released after a moderately long tenure with the Vikings. While the Vikings were never a top team in the league, they were always one that felt like they could be a perennial playoff contender. A balanced offense mixed in with a fierce defense was their calling. While his overall success wasn’t anything amazing, he does know how to scheme up a talented defense.
What Zimmer excels at is generating pressure from four-down linemen. Considering the Steelers’ stable of pass rushers, a pressure master like Zimmer could do extremely well with that front. His secondary is more conservative, focused on zone coverage to prevent the big play and provide time for the pass rush to get home. That said, it is a proven defensive scheme that works.
The biggest issue with Zimmer is his base defense, as he runs a 4-3. That said, the Steelers’ defensive scheme is so muddied already that a change there wouldn’t be that significant. Zimmer commands great respect from his teammates and other coaches in the league. He would be a smart addition to get the most out of this defensive unit.
The Steelers should add Fangio
Vic Fangio had a tough stretch with the Broncos over the past three seasons. While never a complete disaster, his team was never deemed a serious threat. Even when they started off as strong as they did this season, no one was surprised to see them implode. He leaves a relatively bitter taste in the mouth of fans, but one has to remember just how good he was as the Bears defensive coordinator before becoming the head coach.
Fangio is known for a zone-heavy scheme that utilizes multiple fronts. While it isn’t a traditional 3-4 as the Steelers have used for ages, he mixes in packages that get the most out of that. Eddie Goldman became one of the best nose tackles while being coached under Fangio, and the entire Bears defense was better with him at the helm.
Add in his years of experience and Fangio would be a capable coordinator for an up-and-coming Steelers defense. He gets the most out of the front seven (a strength of this defense) while utilizing creativity to get the most out of the secondary. While his head coaching tenure wasn’t great, his defensive track record would make him a huge addition.
The Steelers should add Nagy
The only offensive coordinator on this list, Matt Nagy would be a smart addition for a team set to transition with a new quarterback. Matt Nagy was a consistent coach and coordinator before he was hired as the Bears head coach. That said, he began the Chiefs offensive dominance that has still continued to this day.
Nagy gained some acclaim when Alex Smith had a career year with Nagy at the helm. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes was working closely with Nagy during the rookie season. He has obviously gone on to become the league’s best quarterback. He inherited a bad Bears team and a shaky rookie in Mitchell Trubisky only for the team to win the division and Trubisky to have his best season as a pro in Nagy’s first year.
Unfortunately, it only went downhill from there. Trubisky flamed out and Bears put all of his hopes into Justin Fields. The results weren’t great, but there is hope that Nagy can rebound as an offensive coordinator. He had a lot of success there before being a head coach, and with Matt Canada’s issues from this season, adding Nagy could be a savvy hire.
The Steelers should hire Flores
The most surprising firing from this season, Brian Flores has been one of the best defensive coordinators before becoming a solid coach with the Dolphins. One has to admire the rebuild that Flores did. Miami destroyed their roster in hopes of landing a top quarterback (which they did) and went on to be contenders in the following two seasons. Just this year, the Dolphins rallied back from an early-season losing record to nearly make the playoffs.
Flores had some decent success as a head coach, but he was an even better defensive coordinator. He also happens to run the perfect scheme for the Steelers’ defense. For starters, he runs a base 3-4 defense which means the team would be set to continue using their base defense going forward. As well, he runs an aggressive man coverage scheme that fits what the Steelers have tried to get out of their defensive backs.
Out of all of the coaches that have been fired, Flores has to be the best candidate to become the Steelers defensive coordinator. His track record and ability to lead a team are impressive, and even though he wasn’t perfect as a head coach, many would argue that he shouldn’t have been fired. Flores is a great coach, and the Steelers have to consider him for the defensive coordinator job in the offseason.
The Steelers may be on the hunt for a new coach this offseason, as both the offensive and defensive coordinator may be gone after this year. The NFL has moved on from a few quality coaches that the team should consider. If the Steelers are looking for a new coordinator this offseason, any of these four would make sense.